The 12 Secret Ingredients Every Domestic Slut Needs

Laura Santtini Taste #5 Umami Dust, £2.99

Some secret ingredients will always be exactly that – a secret. We'll never know exactly what gave Creamola Foam its irresistible fizz, or where Irn-Bru gets its tongue-tingling taste (no, it's not girders). And other secret ingredients, well, they're only secret when you want them to be. But I won't tell if you don't – so here's my essential kitchen witchcraft:

1. BALSAMIC VINEGAR: Everyone should have a bottle of good-quality balsamic vinegar in their store cupboard. It’s not just for making salad dressings, though. Try it drizzled over strawberries, peaches, raspberries or plums, with a sprinkling of sugar. Or add a spoonful while you’re making strawberry jam. It also makes the perfect finishing touch to soups and stews.
2. UMAMI DUST: I am in love with Laura Santtini’s Taste #5 Umami Dust. I shake it on to pasta, rice dishes, stir fries… it’s kind of addictive! You can achieve a similar umami taste with fish sauce or, to some extent, Worcestershire sauce – but I really like the fact that this is in powdered form.
3. PEANUT BUTTER: Add a spoonful to your chicken soup at the end of cooking. Honestly, it’s DELICIOUS.
4. VERMOUTH: I developed a taste for vermouth while I was living in Madrid, where they do enjoy a wee glass once in a while. In cookery, it’s a brilliant – and often better – substitute for white wine, especially in risottos. Keep a cheap bottle of dry vermouth by the stove and it’ll last for ages, unlike white wine. And when the bottle’s open, don’t forget to try one of Nick’s fabulous gin martini recipes. 
5. TOMATO KETCHUP: A squirt of Mr Tommy K peps up a great many dishes, and I don’t just mean a dollop on the side. Add a little to anything that includes tinned tomatoes – the added sugar will make all the difference. And if you’ve over-spiced a curry, tomato ketchup can save the day. My local Indian restaurant uses it all the time in their dishes.
6. GREEN & BLACK'S CHOCOLATE: We all know about adding square or two of dark chocolate to chilli, but I go a step further and throw in either Green & Black’s Maya Gold, or their Espresso chocolate. TASTE SENSATION. 
7. CORNFLAKES: Use them pulverised when a recipe calls for a breadcrumb coating. They’re crispier than traditional breadcrumbs, which I like, and they’re particularly good when making chicken kiev. I love chicken kiev. Don't judge. 



Henderson's Relish, £3.99

8. WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: I’m beginning to think there isn’t a savoury dish around that a good splash of Lea & Perrins can’t improve (Kat’s soup from hell is the exception, of course) – spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, macaroni cheese, you name it… but my favourite tip is to add some to your apple pie filling for a certain je ne sais quoi. I also brush the insides of my pastry with it when I’m making sausage rolls or pasties. Try Henderson’s Relish for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free version. (Commemorative ‘Strong & Northern’ Jessica Ennis bottle optional.)
9. ORANGE JUICE: Of course we’re all boiling our carrots in orange-juiced-water already, aren’t we? (If not, get to it.) It’s also a great addition to tomato-based sauces – I use a couple of tablespoons of the smooth variety in all my homemade pasta sauces, and it makes the flavours zing. 
10. COFFEE: Not just a life-saver in the mornings, coffee can be added to gravies and sauces to enhance both the colour and the flavour. I use a decent instant and add it to taste. Or try pouring a cup of strong espresso into a pan of chilli as it simmers – coffee balances the spicy flavours beautifully (hence why I use espresso-flavoured chocolate in mine). Ground coffee also makes a great rub for steak.
11. HORLICKS: Surprisingly great with lamb – use it in sauces and stuffings for a malty flavour. Or add some to a batter mix before deep-frying fish or chicken. Oh, and if you become a Horlicks cookery convert, I’ve found just the recipe book to inspire you. 
12. SMASH INSTANT MASH: Use it to thicken sauces when you’ve run out of cornflour. Just cast your potato snobbery aside for a moment, and stir in a little of the powder until everything’s looking more substantial. Check for lumpy bits before serving. Then don’t tell a soul that the Smash Martians helped you in the kitchen.

Finally, here’s a guest appearance from Serious Laura B (she only comes out once a year, don’t fret):

Remember that the more volatile secret ingredients – especially anything nut- or fish-based – should not be kept a secret if you’re feeding other people, who could be suffering from a food allergy *teachingyouhowtosuckeggsface*.

So, I’m agog – what are your secret ingredients? Do tell!